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Letters

Job-search and other career-related letters are as important as resumes in conveying your value to employers. You can demonstrate good writing skills as well as courtesy and professionalism. Letters enable you to introduce yourself, state your career interests, and highlight your strengths. There are several types of letters that you’ll need to develop.

Information Interview Letters

Write to a professional working in a career field to request an information interview, in person or by phone, to learn about the person’s work.

Make it clear that you are seeking information, not applying for a position.

State how you identified the person, what you would like to learn, and when/how long you would like to meet or talk with them.

Sample Information Interview Letter

128 State StreetIthaca, NY 14850April 20, 2010

Mr. James Ingraham, Associate DirectorVirginia Small Business Commission3190 West Canton StreetRichmond, VA 26811

Dear Mr. Ingraham:

After reading the article in the March 26 Wall Street Journal featuring your work with the Virginia Small Business Commission, I am interested in learning more about your experiences in retail development. I am currently a postdoc at Cornell University and am seeking information about retail and warehouse management, particularly for businesses in rural communities. I would appreciate hearing your assessment of where the industry is headed and where you think job opportunities will develop. Any suggestions for how to prepare to enter this field, both in terms of experience and course work, would be very helpful.

I will contact your office in a week to discuss the possibility of scheduling a twenty- to thirty-minute appointment. I have noted that you have registered with the Cornell Career Contact Network and would be happy to communicate through the Network if you prefer. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to talking with you.

Sincerely,

(SIGNATURE)Heather O’Hara

Cover Letters and Letters of Inquiry

Explore employment possibilities at an organization through an inquiry letter.

Target the organization’s hiring needs by learning about jobs for which you may be qualified.

Visit the website and/or call the organization to obtain information.

Sample Letter of Inquiry

After studying and conducting research for my Ph.D. in economic theory, I have a strong desire to apply what I have learned in a practical setting, working with data and analyzing economic phenomena. Reading the Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions, I was struck by the broad array of functions carried out by the Federal Reserve, the significant role it plays in both the money and financial markets, and the influence it exerts on the economy as a whole. I would value the opportunity to work as a researcher alongside some of the best people in the field for the Federal Reserve. With additional significant course work in mathematics and experience using statistical packages such as SAS and Data Desk, I believe I have the academic background necessary to do excellent work as an economics researcher.

As reflected in the enclosed resume, my academic and work experience have helped me develop skills that should be useful in any research setting. Writing articles for economic journals, such ason the West’s response to the crisis in Eastern Europe, taught me to research extensively, analyze my findings, and communicate my conclusions clearly.

I look forward to speaking with you and learning more about the Federal Reserve. I believe that with my strong background in economics and my experience as a researcher, I would make a valuable contribution to your organization. I will call you next week to see if it would be possible to arrange an interview.

Yours truly,

(SIGNATURE)(Ms.) Tomika Kim

Enclosure

Letters of Application

Write to a prospective employer about a specific job you have seen advertised or have identified through networking.

Sample Letter of Application

A natural resourcesPh.D student at Cornell University, I have focused my studies on the connections between agricultural, environmental, and economic sustainability. The efforts of People for a Livable Planet to promote consumer choices that are ecologically sustainable and thus conserve natural resources are of great interest to me. I would therefore like to be considered for the consumer outreach and marketing specialist position advertised in Nonprofit Times. I enclose my resume for your consideration.

Through volunteer activities, I have promoted sustainable agriculture and environmental issues. As president of the Cornell Greens, I organized meetings, workshops, rallies, and Earth Day activities for the Cornell campus, and also established an environmental educational curriculum for an after-school program. Last year, I helped found the Student Garden Group to introduce organic gardening to Cornell students and promote local agriculture to the Ithaca community. We ran produce stands at apartment complexes for economically disadvantaged families and senior citizens, and expanded Cornell Cooperative Extension to develop outreach programs.

A confident public speaker, I have participated in a training course for peer counselors, completed a course in oral communication, spoken at rallies and festivals, and worked as an educator in a variety of teaching situations.

I am eager to apply my knowledge and experience to an educational advocacy organization when I graduate in May. I will call you next week to schedule a time to discuss my interest in increasing public awareness about ecological agriculture and environmental conservation at People for a Livable Planet. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

(SIGNATURE)Jessica Jones

Follow-Up Letters and Thank-You Letters

Thank interviewers for meeting with you following information or job interviews.

Reiterate your interest in the field or the position, and recall aspects of the interview that were especially enlightening.

Speak with a career advisor if you have concerns about sending an email, a handwritten note, or a more formal letter, and whom to write to if you spoke with more than one person.

Sample Thank-You Letter

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you and your staff yesterday when I interviewed for the financial analyst position. The discussions were highly informative, and I was impressed with the planned addition of a mentoring component to the training program. This is precisely the kind of training program I am seeking.

My visit strengthened my interest in the financial analyst position and my enthusiasm for working at Reed Putnam. I believe that my master’s in economics, my leadership position in the graduate student business association, and an internship with Davidson Sack last summer have prepared me to make a significant contribution.

As you requested, I am enclosing a summary of the research project I completed in a course in financial economics. Please do not hesitate to call me at (607) 555-1824 if I can provide additional information. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you again for your time and the courtesy you extended to me.

Sincerely yours,

(SIGNATURE)Wayne Duffield

Enclosure: Research Project Summary

Offer-Acceptance Letters

Respond to the employer to express your pleasure at receiving the offer. For more information, seeEvaluating Offers